


Not Who We're Looking For

by BlackIris



Category: Captain America (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Best Friends, Darcy tries to be sneaky, F/M, Motorcycles, Shopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-26
Packaged: 2018-02-15 23:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2247363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackIris/pseuds/BlackIris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy tries to set up Steve and life kicks in instead. And everyone interrupts everyone here, evidently.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was based off of a dream I had.. so just, just go with me here.. or 'hear' me out if you will :)

-Where’s Steve hiding?-

Another text sent. This was starting to not be as causal as she’d hoped. 

“Well, maybe one more store?” Darcy pleaded. 

“Ok, fine. That one home-goods-furniture-stuff-store though. I’m still looking for an oversized chair that I want to crawl into and die via comfort.” Krista huffed. 

“I think you mean man, you’re looking for a man.” Darcy said, smirking and arching an eyebrow at her hopefully not yet ruined plans. 

They continued into the next store. Darcy making them move slower than they already had been. 

“Ok, you’re staling. I know you are. What’s up?”

“What? Me? No, I’m just lost in thought amongst all these pretty..ok, rather ugly glass paperweights. Seriously, where’d all the good ones go? Wait, why am I looking for paperweights?” Darcy derailed. She knew she was about hip deep in that rabbit hole, but she just had to keep trudging though. Steve had to be around here somewhere. Or at least have the decency to show up for the errand that (she and) Bucky set him on so that he could "accidentally" run into Krista. So where was he?

“Uh, huh.” 

This was followed by a volley of noncommittal noises and gestures from the pair throughout the store. Something that may seem odd or insane to the average observer, but something that symbolized years of deep friendship. 

After some time, Darcy caved. “Ok fine. All I’m saying is that maybe you need some hunky blond guy to come along and find you and just make everything all peachy keen.”

“See, was that really so hard?” 

Darcy just shook her head and tried to fain resentment. 

“Well, now that you mention it.”

“Oh finally! –I mean, um, what?”

“Well, I didn’t get a look at him, but I think there’s been a blond following us. Should we go talk to him?”

Always one for a challenge, and thinking her plotting was finally about to pay off, Darcy responded with a chuckle and a simple, “Yes.” 

Upon rounding the store a final time, the pair could not find the ‘mysterious’ blond man. Hoping Steve had simply pulled a ‘Steve,’ Darcy lead them to the parking lot in hopes of catching him there - with his bike - because that, of course, would work to her advantage, well everyone’s advantage, but she wasn’t counting her chickens just yet. 

A gentle tap on her shoulder drew Darcy out of her thoughts and she turned to see a blond man, but not the blond man she hoped to see. 

“Hey Darce. It’s been a long time, huh?”

“Hey, Curtis. Yeah, I guess so. How have you been?.. You look well.” She added, dryly.

It was very much so not Steve. It was Curtis. Her ex. Her big ex. Her stupid ‘I-Love-You-More-Than-I-Ever-Thought-Possible-And-Want-To-Spend-The-Rest-Of-My-Life-With-You – Nope-Just-Kidding-Can’t’ ex. The one that did so much damage so long ago; a time she had almost completely forgotten about. 

“Oh, you know, just working at this big firm up in the valley. Enjoying life a lot now.”

Subtle. 

“Please excuse my rude friend, I’m Krista. Who are you again?” Krista chimed in knowing full well who he was. 

“Curtis.” He said with an over drawn once over of Krista. “Darce here and I used to go out for a while.”

“Ah, the throws of college and poor decisions. Well, we better be going these bags aren’t getting any lighter.” Darcy said motioning to the rather small number of shopping bags her and Krista were holding before a very loud engine caught the group’s attention. 

“Woah, is that a –“

“A matt black 1942 BMW R75. Yes, yes it is.” Darcy grinned. She knew exactly who it was too.

The look of awe on Curtis’ face, his subtle nod, and subsequently slow departure were unnoticed by both of the girls at the approach of the motorcycle. 

Darcy’s grin grew into a full smile as the bike came to a stop and the rider dismounted and strode toward them.

“James.”

“Doll.”

“Fancy seeing you here. You remember Krista right?” 

“How could I forget.” He says with a nod to her as he slug his arm possessively over Darcy’s shoulders before giving her a quick kiss. “So who’s the fella?” 

“Oh, just some guy.” Any other time, or any earlier in her life, she would have told him how horrible Curtis had been to her. And had she done that she would have loved to watch the show that would follow of James tearing him a new one. But today was not that day. Luckily, for Curtis, she had grown up a lot and knew James would do more than serious damage to the idiot. “No one important really. Why?”

“Don’t like the look of ‘im.” He turned a hard look at Curtis who was a safe distance away but still staring, slack jaw. 

“Oh James, come on –“

“Oh, you don’t know? ‘Darce and him used to go out for awhile.’ You know, before he got cold feet that would rival Cap’s when he was frozen.“ Krista air quoted her words and chuckled as she looked from James to Curtis, from Curtis to Darcy and back to James again.

Darcy could feel him tense beside her; his metal fingers stopped their abstract patterns on her arm at Krista’s words. 

Darcy cleared her throat and threaded her fingers through his stilled hand, tugging gently. “Hey, now mister.” She tugs again, but his concentration does not waver from Curtis who is slowly backing away but not breaking eye contact. 

Not good, Darcy thinks, doesn’t he know you don’t make eye contact with a predator? 

“James.. James! James Buchanan! Damnit. Earth to Buck. Where’d ya go?” She turns in towards him, her hands now rest on his chest as his hands moves to her waist. She tilts her head to the side and tries again, softer. “James?” 

“Yeah doll?” He says, not taking his eyes off Curtis. It’s as if he’s giving her ex a threatening monologue with his eyes. Both startling and igniting a spark of lust in Darcy. 

“So what brings you here? We were about to leave. Did you think of something we forgot? You could have called you know.” 

Her soft voice brings his eyed monologue to an end. 

"Панк был призван миссии в последний момент. Думал, что я показал бы вместо этого. Это приятно видеть вас, куклу."

“Ahh. Well, I’m happy to see you too.” Darcy grinned brightly.

His face becomes soft as he turns to look at her.

“Wait. You understood that?” Krista cocked her head to the side; her amusement did a landslide into confusion. 

“Well, not all of it. I’m still learning. Between James and Nat, I have some really awesome, if not intimidating, teachers. I mainly got that he was glad to see me and something about a punk and last minute and..and..” She snapped her fingers trying to remember phrases and words.

It was James’ turn to be amused. Darcy narrowed her eyes at him and his saucy grin that spread across his face.

“Steve’s been called out on a mission. Darcy here had it in her mind to have Steve run into you guys on accident and see where things went from there.” 

“Thanks.. There goes subtly.” Darcy chuckled and nudged him lightly.

“You always go in for the kill, huh?” Krista asked, mulling it over. 

“Those two are two peas in a pod when it comes to that.” Darcy answered for him. 

“Well then I can’t wait to meet him.”


	2. Gone Till Thursday..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. This fought me for a while. And then I got distracted by real-life peoples.. What a strange thought.  
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy and I'm sorry this took so long for it to posted.  
> Any mistakes are unbelievably mine.

After months of failed set ups, Darcy has all but given up.

Steve is always gone for one mission or another. There seemed to be a new plot to take over the world or destroy part of America at least weekly. And Steve is having none of that. Which everyone is grateful for, save Darcy on occasion; the occasion being her plans to set up the hunky super dude with her best friend of almost 20 years. 

Luckily, or unluckily for her; Bucky is involved in her quest. He finds her efforts curious and her failed attempts amusing. He doesn’t seem to ever help; he simply watches and chuckles lowly. 

“James, I’m home.” 

“In here, baby doll.”

Darcy stumbles into the apartment with many, many bags in hand from yet another shopping spree. It wasn’t that she went shopping often; it was more that that’s when she particularly liked to plot out her next attempt. Needless to say, shopping days became more and more regular as Darcy’s determination grew. 

Bucky was seemingly enamored with the paper when she finally came into the kitchen after putting her new treasures away; the smell of casseroles drawing her into the kitchen. 

“So what’s the plan this week, doll?” 

“Oh, like you’re even gonna help if I tell you.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Maybe I would.”

“Oh ye of little words. I still don’t believe you. You just like to watch my crafty little plans fall apart. Don’t you?” 

He chuckled in return.

“Besides, Steve’s gone this week. Again. So my plan doesn’t start till the day after he’s back.”

“You’re still determined to do this?” 

“Ohhh, as ever Buck-o!” She said with a grin. 

He did find it amusing, but also adorable. They had found so much joy and comfort in each other and she simply wanted the same for Steve. And truth be told he did too. With everything they both had gone through, he never thought he’d be happy with a lady by his side much less before Steve. So yes, he actually was helping. He just never let Darcy know. 

“So your plan starts Thursday then?”

“You can bet your shiny metal arm it does!”

“Thursday doesn’t work for me though, doll.”

“This is to set up Steve. Not you. And you don’t help anyways. So, why doesn’t it work for you?”

“Well.” He said, standing up and moving over to the oven. “I was planning on taking you away for a long weekend.”

She stared wide eyed at him while he started taking out the three casserole dishes with his left hand.

“Really now, mister?”

He nodded.

“Well, I suppose Steve’s planned romantic entanglement can be postponed yet again. So when do we leave?”

“At 6. I know it’s early, but what I have in mind will be well worth it.” He said with a grin.

“So.. You’ve been plotting and cooking today. What’s gotten into you? Are you a robot?” She poked his right arm, then his side. “Or have I just finally rubbed off on you enough?” 

“Not just today doll.” 

His grin grew as she shook her head at him. 

“So three casseroles? Is this a special occasion or did Tasha throw you through the ringer today?” 

“I think, if you’re patient, you’ll find out soon enough.” He said, looking at the clock.

Not so much as two seconds passed and there was a knock at the door. 

Darcy cocked her head to the side and said, “Do you want to get the mystery guest or do you want me to?” 

“Darce. It’s me. Make sure Buck’s covered up cuz I’m coming in now.” Krista called from the door. 

“Wow. Krista. Really? Hmm.. Maybe Tasha hit your head one too many times. I might have to have a talk with her about that.” 

“Actually, I thought you invited me over Darce.” Krista said, pulling out her phone and flicking to the text that was indeed sent by Darcy’s number.

-Casseroles and wine. 7pm tonight. You know you wanna.-

“Hmm. Well, this is very much my number. Though, I – ”

Darcy’s statement about how she had actually left her phone at the apartment that day went interrupted as a certain voice trailed into the room. 

“Buck, you here? You bet I couldn’t wrap that up in three days and I did. Time for you to pay up jerk! I’m starving.”

All three of them turned as one to see Steve himself come into the kitchen with a large duffle bag slung over his left shoulder. Darcy, still in shock of how the evening had begun to play out, looked back and forth from Bucky to Steve; knowing all too well that this was Bucky’s doing. 

Bucky continue to lean against the counter by the stove, watching the look of joy on Steve’s face transcend into one of slight confusion and then awe as he looked at Krista. 

Steve and Krista had never met but had been told plenty about each other thanks to Darcy (and Bucky). Unbeknownst to all, Steve had already developed a bit of a crush on Krista after hearing the tales of her and almost running into her once at a coffee shop. 

“Hey.” Steve said, after a long moment of everyone staring at each other. The look on Steve’s face changed again and could only be described as that of someone who has been separated from art, of any form, for a long period of time and then allowing that person to be set free to run amuck in The Louvre. 

“Hi.” Krista said back softly.

“So..” Darcy began.

“Steve, it’s about time you met Krista. Krista, this is Steve. Darce has been trying to get you two to hook up for forever now.” Bucky beamed while moving behind Darcy and wrapping his arms around her waist. 

“Oh.” 

“Yeah.” Steve countered, offering Krista his hand. 

“See.” Bucky whispered in Darcy’s ear. “I told you I’d help.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is what Bucky says..(I hope)..or at least according to an online translator:  
> "Punk got called out to go on a mission last minute. Figured I’d show up instead. It’s good to see you, doll."


End file.
